Posted on Mar 19, 2020
The global spread of COVID-19 is affecting trade and we are all responding and adjusting in our own way. The UK Golf Federation wants to initiate a Petition and unite Golf Club’s in the UK and beyond to stand together and keep golf open by generating 100,000 signatures. This petition will be the catalyst in helping members, golfers, golf club employees, managers, and all those in our industry share our message to the government to #KeepGolfOpen and emerge stronger.
The UK Golf Federation cannot do this alone – this will need to be a nationwide effort from all golf associations, businesses, press, courses and golfers. It will require all of our effort and care. We want to update you with our plans and how we aim to not only survive but thrive in this situation, and also provide some value to ensure your safety.
Whilst we all fully understand the very serious issues the Coronavirus is presenting to the world; The UK Golf Federation believe there are two stages that the golf industry can promote to keep the golf courses open even if it means shutting clubhouses.
Stage 1: Highlighting Golf Is A No Contact Sport
This is key to keep golf courses open should the government implement plans to close all sports and leisure facilities. Golf is unique as it requires no person to person contact. Okay, the clubhouse may be closed, but you can change in the car park, there is no reason to take the flag out these days and likely you can always remain two metres apart from your playing partners. Already, most golf courses have extensive plans with no cash, sanitising stations and open-door policies.
As this article in the Scotsman highlights, golf has built-in “social distancing” and rarely do you ever find yourself crowded or with someone in your face on the golf course whilst the maximum number of players you can have in a group is four.
Stage 2: The Impact Of Closing Our Clubs
If golf courses are not kept open, potentially 30% could go bankrupt and close affecting hundreds of thousands of employees and associated industries. Also, if the course is closed and green staff stop maintaining the course it will take years to bring it back into the condition our golfers expect.
Finally, just short of 2 million people play golf each week, many are under 70 years old! The loss of their recreational activity, social discussions and time spent with friends and partners walking in fresh air will be lost and could have serious unnecessary long-term effects on the health, physical and mental wellbeing of these golfers.
So, please join the UK Golf Federation and many of the UK’s key associations, golf unions and golf industry and sign our PETITION TODAY and let’s carry on golfing through this crisis and #KeepGolfOpen.
In this hour of need the golf industry will be looking to it’s leaders to help navigate them through these unknown times. Together through our collective partners and members, we have the ability to create a viral petition that can reach these 2 million golfers through every channel possible and get our message across to the government to #KeepGolfOpen.
Our marketing partner, Albatross Digital, has offered to help manage the campaign and create all the marketing collateral needed including branded email templates and copy, social media videos and image content, blog posts templates and articles for us to share the petition and hashtag #KeepGolfOpen to our audiences.
Between us we have a channel to almost every golf club, business and golfer in the country who we believe will be as eager as us in sharing our message to the government and make this campaign a success.
It has been the case for many years much of the golf industry works in silos, now is the time for us all to work together to petition the government, using all our connections to keep golf open. Clearly the well-being of the UK and the World comes first! But let’s make sure we have a golfing industry when the virus eventually comes under control. Let’s all work together and promote through as many channels as possible to make Government aware it’s in the United Kingdom’s best to interest #KeepGolfOpen
To see the petition we are aiming to make viral, please click on the link below and also sign:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PETITION
Obviously to get to 100,000 signatures we will need your help to get the petition to all your members, customers and any other channel to reach all the golfers we possibly can.
If you’re interested in partnering with us and learning more please either reply to my email or fill out this short form and we’ll be in touch with more details https://albatrossdigitalgolf.typeform.com/to/ChoFvH
Just like the bravery of our public health experts, doctors and nurses who demonstrate heroic actions to ensure our safety in our cities it is more critical than ever that we regroup and rise as a collective and face the challenges ahead within our industry.
Doug Poole – CEO – UK Golf Federation
Phone: 07711665247
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.ukgolffederation.com/
